[caughtintheact]

Hi,

I have two networked PCs at home both with WinXP Pro SP. Computer 1 (see below) has 1.5GB RAM and Computer 2 has 1GB RAM. Both are using Pentium 4 processors, Computer 1 has a Prescott (hyperthreading) processor rated at 3.2Ghz, and Computer 2 has a 2.4Ghz processor. The program configuration on each is roughly the same in terms of installed programs. However, today, when I booted up both PCs, the commit charge on one was much different than the other.
Computer 1 Normal Memory Usage
Computer 2 Excessive Memory usage
For example, a program that uses say 15MB RAM on computer 1 is using 35MB RAM on computer 2.
My total commit charge on Computer 1 is about 400MB with 41 processes, but on Computer 2, the commit charge is about 1.36GB with 43 processes.

This just started happening today, but the only thing I have done out of the ordinary is that yesterday I set up file sharing on the network. I tried resetting the page file on Computer 2 to system managed, but that did not change anything after rebooting.

Here are some more examples:
Computer 1: Explorer.exe 59MB
Computer 2: explorer.exe 102MB

Computer 1: weatherclock.exe 14MB
Computer 2: weatherclock.exe 28MB

Computer 1: psi.exe 53MB
Computer 2: psi.exe 74MB

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this and whether there is a fix?

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When you encounter a problem that is clearly related in time to a given change, the first thing is to undo the change and see if things go back to what they were before.

[The Skeptic]

When you encounter a problem that is clearly related in time to a given change, the first thing is to undo the change and see if things go back to what they were before.

[caughtintheact]

I am not sure it was related to any of the changes, since it only affected the computer on which I did not first enable file sharing. The strange thing is that even though it appears to be using almost three times as much memory, the computer is not running slow or otherwise misbehaving. Scans for spyware and viruses, rootkits, etc, turn up nothing, and there are no unusual processes running.

[The Skeptic]

I have no good answer for that. My approach is that if there are no visible problems, I do not look for answers. One of the main reasons is that you can't test your corrective actions because the computer will not show any improvement.

Maybe other people will know better.


Regards.

[caughtintheact]

Skeptic,
Thanks. I know this is a weird one, and I understand what you are saying. These things don't happen for no reason, but if I changed anything to cause it as opposed tosomething going beserk in the system I sure cannot remember what it was.

[caughtintheact]

Problem solved. After removing some programs the commit charge reverted to normal. I believe that the cupolrit was a program called rocketdock, a program which I had been using for a year, but apparently started colliding with another program, which copuld have been Haute Secure or Avira AV (as I removed both of them also)

[The Skeptic]

Well done. Thanks for letting us know.